During his life he managed ranches in the San Joaquin Valley of California (Tulare County) and in the area of Prescott, Arizona. A range fire in 1899 destroyed what was called 'the big ranch' in the San Joaquin valley; both the home and the adjacent forest. It was a working cattle ranch managed by Joseph, who also managed the 'little ranch' in the Maricopa/Phoenix, Arizona area. The latter was where his son moved after the fire.
Joe Barnum received a homestead patent in Arizona. The patent description in BLM records is as follows: Patentee: Joe Barnum; Survey State: Arizona; Acres: 160; Metes/Bounds: No; Title Transfer Issue Date: 11/15/1916; Land Office: Phoenix; Cancelled: No; US Reservations: Yes; Mineral Reservations: No; Authority: May 20, 1862: Homestead EntryOriginal (12 Stat. 392); Document Nr.: 017803; Misc. Doc. Nr.: 0; Accession/Serial Nr.: 554523; BLM Serial Nr.: AZPHX 0017803.
World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 about Joseph Eugene Raymond Barnum. Name: Joseph Eugene Raymond Barnum; County: Tulare; State: California; Birth Date: 7 Dec 1877; Race: White; FHL Roll Number: 1544429; DraftBoard: 1; Age: 41; Occupation: Farm manager; Nearest Relative: Sara Alma Barnum, wife; Height/Build: Medium/Medium; Color of Eyes/Hair: Blue/Brown
His WWI Draft Registration Card gives his birth date as 7 December 1877.